How to Write 悪 (bad, vice, rascal, false, evil) — Stroke Order, Readings & Printable Worksheet
Master the 11-stroke writing sequence of the JLPT N4 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3年生)) character 悪 (“bad, vice, rascal, false, evil”), indexed under the 心 (こころ / りっしんべん (heart)) radical. Practice 悪 alongside high-frequency Japanese Jukugo compounds such as 悪い (わるい (warui) — bad), 悪 (わる (waru) — bad).
🔍 Radical & Component Breakdown (悪)
Primary Radical (部首): 心 — こころ / りっしんべん (heart)
Radical Position: Left (Hen / 偏) (偏 (Hen))
Semantic Theme: Heart, thoughts, emotions, and psychological states
Curriculum & Reading Usage: Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3年生) (JLPT N4). Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (アク, オ) when 悪 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (わる.い, わる-, あ.し, にく.い, -にく.い, ああ, いずくに, いずくんぞ, にく.む) when 悪 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings.
Genkō Yōshi Proportions (11画): Written with 11 strokes, 悪 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 心 (こころ / りっしんべん (heart)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 心 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 9 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
📜 Etymology & Mnemonic Insight (六書 / Rikusho)
Radical: 心 (こころ / りっしんべん (heart))
Standard Jouyou kanji written with 11 strokes under radical 心.
Common Japanese Words & Jukugo Using 悪
Frequently Asked Questions About Kanji 悪 (FAQ)
How many strokes are in 悪 and how is it structured?
The Japanese character 悪 ("bad, vice, rascal, false, evil") is written with 11 strokes (11画) as a JLPT N4 (Kyōiku Kanji Grade 3 (小学3年生)) intermediate multi-component Kanji (6–11 strokes) indexed under the 心 (こころ / りっしんべん (heart)) radical. Written with 11 strokes, 悪 is an intermediate multi-component character built around the 心 (こころ / りっしんべん (heart)) radical (Left (Hen / 偏) position). Establish the 心 component first in its quadrant so the remaining 9 strokes maintain balanced left-right or top-bottom proportions.
What are the Onyomi, Kunyomi, and Jukugo words for 悪?
For 悪 (JLPT N4), the Onyomi is アク, オ and the Kunyomi is わる.い, わる-, あ.し, にく.い, -にく.い, ああ, いずくに, いずくんぞ, にく.む. Use the Sino-Japanese Onyomi (アク, オ) when 悪 combines with other Kanji in multi-character Jukugo compounds, and use the native Japanese Kunyomi (わる.い, わる-, あ.し, にく.い, -にく.い, ああ, いずくに, いずくんぞ, にく.む) when 悪 appears as a standalone noun or with Hiragana okurigana endings. High-frequency Japanese vocabulary using 悪 includes 悪い (わるい (warui) — bad), 悪 (わる (waru) — bad).
What is the stroke order rule for writing 悪 on Genkō Yōshi paper?
When writing the 11 strokes of 悪 (bad, vice, rascal, false, evil), start with the 心 (こころ / りっしんべん (heart)) in the Left (Hen / 偏) (偏 (Hen)) position and follow standard Japanese Hitsujun (筆順) principles: top to bottom (上から下) and left to right (左から右). Practice 悪 interactively on the Kanji Scribe canvas or print a free A4 Genkō Yōshi PDF worksheet.
More JLPT N4 Characters to Practice Next
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